October 11th, 2020

Days 394 - 398


We haven't gotten to do a whole lot during our stay in Ouray because once again, we had to get the truck looked at.

PLUS, the Unstoppable Influence Summit was the last three days. Which I'll get to in a moment...

Besides a drive the first day to show Jordan the area, then a great 4x4 drive after setting the mechanic, we stayed around the house.

We had about a month of laundry to do.

We didn't go on any of the epic hikes we planned.

So we'll definitely make our way back here, perhaps in the summer.

We arrived just in time to see the autumn leaves, it was absolutely beautiful.

So beautiful. I always feel like all worries (known and unknown) simply leave when I drive highway 550 ... it's so absolutely breathtaking (the altitude is too 😁).

I didn't get to visit with all the people I had hoped to see while in the area, but we saw a few (Uncle Willy, Aunt Chris, and Fetch) so it wasn't a complete loss.

COVID has created such a strange time. The trains didn't run all summer in Silverton... yet, as soon as they were out of lock down, business boomed. There were 600 people a day on ice lake trail... which isn't big enough for that many people.

The roads over Hurricane and California passes were extremely beat up from the thousands of atv and otv users. While it was definitely a boost for the economy here, the earth paid the price.

I understand wanting to get out...but please, PLEASE take care of our earth. She needs our love.

Now, the truck... this summer, I had taken her to my mechanic in Boise and asked him to get her ready for this next adventure. Well, simple things (the fuel filter and air filter) were not changed when they really needed it. Not sure why they were overlooked but they were. So a filthy and ill fitting air filter was the cause of the check engine light on Tuesday. At least we hope that is the end of the issues.

It's frustrating because you put so much trust in people (and I really do think my mechanic is a wonderful human) and little things like this are not taken care of. Not sure why the next people who changed the oil didn't catch that air filter either.

We are grateful for great service at Sunrise Auto in Ridgeway. One fellow there grew up with the Tookey and Willis families in Silverton, so as soon as they learned I knew all of them - they were my family for 20 years after all (some still claim me as family) we were treated as locals.

So, now we prep to roll our home over one of the most extreme stretches of highway. Please send all the good vibes that that air filter was, in fact, the final issue with my beautiful truck. She ran great over the passes on Friday afternoon.

That drive caused me to miss my favorite presenter of the UI Summit, Joseph Clough. But, we had to test the truck to be sure the check engine didn't come on again because if it had, we would have has to be back at the mechanic yesterday. So, it is what it is.

Saturday's sessions were what I truly needed. Breakthroughs occurred. I have not been very disciplined in my work since leaving Boise last year... really, since 2017 before things shifted for me. I have done meditation, hypnosis, affirmations, all the things to shift my mindset back into the productive artist I was then. But to no avail.

I discovered why. I still have blocks against discipline. I won't go into the why because it'll hurt someone I love dearly. But the awareness is the first step to solving the problem. So, here's to an amazing 4th quarter. It's time to go to the next level!

First, we have to get over the pass.

Much love to you all! Have a beautiful day!